Contents Pages of Music Magazines

By Jessica Haughton

Introduction

In this PowerPoint, I intend to show you extracts of existing contents

pages from music magazines. Whilst also explaining which conventions my own contents page will include.

This is an extract of a contents page from NME magazine.

Artist/ Band Name Page ReferencesNME refer to pages by simply listing an artist or band name along with the page number. This proves that the magazine does not wish to bore its readers with niceties, but that they just want to get on with the magazines main intention: to promote the music. I plan on using this method of informing readers of the magazines content, because it is neat, tidy and reflects the true passion of the artists; their only concern is what page which band is on! Another reason for their being less text is that, the magazine is aimed at a teenage audience . This particular TA are just interested in the music.

One Main ImageNME tend to use one main image on their contents pages which makes the layout appear tidy and easy to digest. I intend on using one main image for my contents page also, to reflect an important feature of the magazine, other than the main feature which would be presented on the front cover. I like this style of contents because it looks sophisticated and practical.

The lack of text and image variation suggests this is a male orientated magazine as males prefer to be visually informed rather than have to read through masses of text. Although these methods are also used to suit male requirements, I do intend to balance this out with a feminine features.

This is an extract from Kerrang! magazine

Ordinarily, this type of layout is something I would wish to avoid considering Kerrang! Is a male orientated publication about heavy metal rock music. Whereas FRANK is a female targeted magazine about Alternative & Indie music. However, there are elements of this contents page in which I wish to use on my own and here’s why...

This arrow is pointing towards an Editors Letter, which is featured in Kerrang! Contents every week. The previous slide showed conventions that I wish to use on my contents page. Those conventions appeared to contain intentions of a masculine nature and so, to add femininity to the page, including an Editors Letter is the perfect way to balance out the gender. A letter from the editor is a personal and intimate attribute which the female TA would appreciate. I chose this example, to prove that editors letters are not only used in Lifestyle magazines, but the most masculine of music magazines also!

Image

On the contents page, I would like the main image to be of a male artist. This is to show that even though the publication is aimed at women and focuses on women, it still features male artists and bands. However, the male artist will embody an element of femininity, like long hair and tight fitted clothing. For example...

Luke Pritchard, The Kooks Johnny Borrell, RazorlightMatt Bowman, Pigeon Detectives

Location

I would like the image to be set out as if the artist was in a recording studio. It would visually inform readers that one of the features in this issue is dedicated to production of the artists’ music. Props would include headphones and microphone.

LayoutThis is a rough draft of the contents page layout:

Using a long shot would further vary the uses of camera angles.

However this particular positioning of the artist is not

successful. This image is supposed to suggest volume, yet

the stiff, motionless stance suggests silence!

The close-up shot allows readers to clearly see the big hair and headphones – which suggests volume. However, this camera angle would be overly used as the same medium shot will be used for the front cover. Also, due to this layout, there was no room to fit in the Band Index as the page appeared too cluttered.

This layout is the most successful. In the image, the artist is holding the microphone to his mouth, suggesting he is singing into it, his facial expression is clenched and his body is tilted suggesting effort with the activity: this indicates passion. His right hand in his pocket as he remains ‘cool’. Perhaps the artist making eye contact with the camera would further improve the success of the image. Also, the text fits neatly around his body. The editors letter, band index and feature paragraph is able to fit in without looking cluttered.

The image of the artist has improved since A and B, as he is no longer standing still and

motionless. Yet the image fails to reflect my intentions of

volume, noise and passion and all the features of the

contents page I wish to include fail to fit in without

making the page look cluttered.

The End